Development Assessment Panel

The Council has established a Development Assessment Panel (DAP) pursuant to Section 56A of the Development Act, 1993. The DAP is an important committee of Council with responsibility for assessing a wide range of Development Applications such as new houses, land divisions, major commercial developments and changes in land uses. It has a very significant role in ensuring that new development proposals it considers are consistent with the Council's planning rule book - the Development Plan. The Panel considers about 7% of all applications received by the Council, with the remainder considered by staff under delegations.

Panel Details

INDEPENDENT PRESIDING MEMBER: Stephen Hains
DEPUTY PRESIDING MEMBER: Alistair McHenry

The Development Assessment Panel generally meets on the first Tuesday of every month commencing at 6.30pm at the Council Offices, 63 Mt Barker Road, Stirling (part of the old Library) or as otherwise determined by the Panel. Note that meetings may start earlier if necessary and special meetings may be held if required. Please therefore check the meeting agenda details to see when and where the next DAP meeting is to be held.

Agenda and Reports for the Development Assessment Panel are posted on the website the Wednesday prior to the scheduled Tuesday meeting. Due to the requirements of Regulation 34 of the Development Regulations 1993, copies of the attachments can only be viewed at the Council's Service Centres
Draft/unconfirmed minutes are posted on the Monday of the week after the scheduled meeting.

The Panel, made up of the 3 Councillors and 4 Independent Specialist Members including an Independent Presiding Member, is as follows:

Stephen Hains (Independent Presiding Member)
Daniel Bennett (Independent Member)
Alistair McHenry (Independent Member)
Wendy Stubbs (Independent Member)
Councillor Linda Green
Councillor John Kemp
Councillor Jan Loveday

Elected Members and Independent Members were appointed for a two year term ending 1 June 2013.

The Terms of Reference, Operating Procedures and Guidelines & Protocols that the Development Assessment Panel members work with can be found here.

Code of Conduct

Members of the Panel are required to strictly adhere to the State Government's Code of Conduct. Any complaints regarding a Member's conduct can be forwarded to Council's Public Officer (refer contact details below).

Meeting Schedule

Ordinary meetings of the DAP are held on the first Tuesday of every month, commencing at 6.30 pm or as otherwise determined by the Panel. Special meetings may also be held as and when required. Please therefore check the meeting agenda details to see when and where the next DAP meeting is to be held.

Agendas & Minutes

The Agendas and Minutes of the forthcoming and previous DAP meetings can be found at - click here

Delegated Powers & Delegations Policy

The DAP has delegated powers pursuant to the Development Act and Regulations 1993, as determined by Council on an annual basis. Click here to view the current delegated powers of the Panel.

Further, the Panel considers approximately 7% of all development applications received by the Council, with the remainder being considered by staff under delegations. The types of applications which are to be referred to the Panel for consideration are those as outlined in the current Delegations Policy which has been prepared pursuant to Section 34(27) of the Development Act, 1993.

Presentation Procedures for Representors & Applicants

Note that the Panel cannot hear representors where there is no requirement under the Development Act and Regulations to do so. If you did not lodge a written representation regarding a specific development application within the time prescribed by the Development Regulations, then you may not address the Panel.

Representors or Applicants who are legally permitted to present to the Panel, may do so either personally or through their nominated spokesperson (e.g. lawyers, planning consultants or other supporters). Representors will speak first followed by the applicant who will be invited to respond to the points made by the representors. Both representors and the applicant are permitted a total of 5 minutes each for their presentations, and should allow time for questions from the Panel. Please be succinct, avoid repetition and focus on key points remembering the members of the Panel have a copy of your submission. Please review the information sheet for representors & applicants for full details in this regard.

The use of slides, maps, videos, in addition to written submissions is permitted. Please note that a copy of whatever is presented is required for Council's records. Please advise staff (Tel: 8408-0522) at least a day before the meeting of your audio visual requirements to facilitate the availability of resources.

Please note that if the Panel defers consideration of an application to another meeting, representors who were heard in support of their representation will not be given another opportunity to address the Panel. However, the Applicant, who has also addressed the Panel, may be asked additional questions by the Panel in relation to the application.

Lodging of Complaints about the conduct of a member of the Panel

Pursuant to section 56A(23) of the Development Act 1993, Council has appointed Mr Nick Day, Manager Customer Relations & Marketing, as the Public Officer for the Council's Development Assessment Panel. The functions of a public officer include ensuring the proper investigation of complaints about the conduct of a member of the Council's Development Assessment Panel (but nothing in this section prevents a person making a complaint to the Ombudsman at any time under the Ombudsman Act 1972 or the public officer referring a complaint to another person or authority for investigation or determination). If you wish to lodge a complaint regarding the conduct of a member(s) of the Council's Development Assessment Panel (CDAP), then please review the Council's adopted CDAP Complaints Handling Policy by clicking here, which outlines how to lodge a complaint and the process involved.

Any complaints should be submitted in writing to the Public Officer:

Mr Nick Day, Manager Customer Relations & Marketing
PO Box 44, Woodside SA 5244
Telephone: (08) 8408-0403
Fax: (08) 8389-7440
E-mail: mail@ahc.sa.gov.au